A coworker who I liked and was close enough for her to make the following observation about me once said, "_refugee_, I hope my kids never feel about me the way you do about your mom." This was without me ever getting into much detail about my past wrt my mother, just relating my day-to-day existence over 18 months, during which (of course) my mother occasionally popped up. Without even thinking I told her, "Just be a good mother." Now that's one of those responses that in retrospect I realized could be mega awkward, and was certainly very telling. I considered it after I heard it come out of my mouth, though, in the 30 seconds or so that a conversation allows you to turn over what's been spoken, and I shrugged and realized that I still found it true. Yeah, when someone asks me about my family, I tell them about my siblings or my cats.
I can relate. Contract job I had few years ago, boss dude, without me ever mentioning family, declared that I grew up poor, abused (why is it that I STILL can't hide this?), and started making all sorts of judgments about me, proselytizing, criticizing food choices I ate, saying I was making choices like a poor person... He was born rich. Job didn't last long. For a number of years, I would make up stories about where I came from, like I was hatched, parents were spies masquerading as world class tennis players, and the like. Somehow that would make the conversation just as awkward as when I'd tell the truth. Some people just don't appreciate creativity. =)